Scottish Executive

Child Welfare

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to support vulnerable pre-school children.

Cathy Jamieson: We want to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life. Through programmes such as Sure Start Scotland and Starting Well we are providing a wide range of support to vulnerable and deprived families with pre-school children. This includes parental support, outreach services, childcare and specialist projects for families affected by drugs misuse.

Digital Scotland

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21284 by Iain Gray on 16 January 2002, how many local champions are now operating.

Ms Margaret Curran: There are currently nine digital champions financed by the Scottish Executive working in social inclusion partnership areas to share good practice and facilitate local digital inclusion projects.

  In addition, the Executive’s National Grid for Learning programme is currently funding a training initiative called Connecting Communities. Running from 2002 to 2004, this programme aims to train 2,500 community learning practitioners in how to use ICT to build community potential.

Digital Scotland

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21273 by Iain Gray on 16 January 2002, whether the study into how ICT and web access can be improved for disabled people has been completed.

Ms Margaret Curran: We expect to complete a study into how ICT and web access can be improved for disabled people later this year.

Education

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued on the role of classroom assistants in schools and how their role is defined in any such guidance.

Nicol Stephen: Implementation guidance on the classroom assistants programme was issued in April 1999. The guidance indicates that assistants are expected to work under the direction of teachers in a variety of roles to reduce administrative workloads and, after appropriate training, to provide support to learning. A copy of the guidance is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Education

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it publishes on the number of pupils excluded from schools and whether it will give a breakdown by education authority area of the number of such exclusions in each of the last three years.

Cathy Jamieson: Since 1998 the Scottish Executive has produced an annual survey on the number of temporary and permanent exclusions from schools in Scotland. The figures are broken down between education authorities and between primary, secondary and special schools. A copy of each survey is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre and can be accessed under the following reference numbers:

  


1998-99 
  

21835 
  



1999-2000 
  

11531 
  



2000-01 
  

21836

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultation has taken place between Caledonian MacBrayne and those responsible for drawing up the draft specifications for the Islay route prior to competitive tendering and whether new Caledonian MacBrayne plans for the Islay route will be incorporated into those draft specifications.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive officials have consulted Caledonian MacBrayne on a broad range of operational issues in preparation for the consultation exercise on the future tendering of Clyde and Hebridean Isles ferry services. We plan to issue that consultation paper as soon as possible. The Caledonian MacBrayne review of the Islay route has only just been initiated and its conclusions will be considered by ministers once it has been completed.

  Decisions on the timing, specification and cost of replacement vessels for the fleet serving Clyde and Hebrides ferry services and on investment at piers and harbours currently owned by Caledonian MacBrayne, including decisions on any investment affecting the Islay route, will be taken as part of the present spending review.

Food

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to support uptake of food Quality Assurance schemes.

Ross Finnie: Scotland has a range of highly reputable quality assurance schemes covering most agri-food and fisheries products but these are all industry led and industry controlled. They are also voluntary schemes. It is up to individual producers to determine the marketing advantages of membership of such schemes.

  The Executive does, however, recognise the importance of quality assurance and this is emphasised in the Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture. It has moreover provided significant financial support to the establishment and development of these schemes and to the independent certification processes which are required to underpin them.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation will be paid to the owners of salmon fishings, sporting rights and mineral rights for any immediate losses in the market value of their holdings as a consequence of the absolute right to buy under Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not accept that the implementation of legislative provisions for a crofting community right to buy as proposed in Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will have an adverse impact on the market value of salmon fishings, sporting rights and mineral rights. Consequently we have no plans to pay compensation to owners of such holdings.

Natural Heritage Sites

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when web-based visitor information on the sustainable use of natural heritage sites will be made available.

Mike Watson: This action under the Tourism Framework for Action is the responsibility of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). I understand that SNH have completed the first phase of a study of sustainable management of natural heritage sites around the world, and are now piloting the results at 10 sites in Scotland, in conjunction with a range of other organisations.

Planning

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26044 by Hugh Henry on 30 May 2002, when a decision will be made on whether to call in the planning application for a crematorium to be developed at Greenhall Park, High Blantyre, South Lanarkshire.

Hugh Henry: It is not possible to say at this stage when a decision will be made. Every effort will, however, be made to reach an early decision.

School Meals

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the value of breakfast clubs in improving school pupils’ attendance and achievement.

Nicol Stephen: A summary of the interim findings of the National Evaluation of New Community Schools, including breakfast clubs, will be published by the Scottish Executive in the summer. The evaluation will use quantitative data to examine the relationship between New Community School status and pupil performance, and will explore the views of pupils, teachers and parents on the value of initiatives supported by New Community Schools. While it will not be possible to isolate quantitative data on the specific benefits of breakfast clubs from that of other initiatives, there is a clearly established link between health, nutrition and educational achievement and there is evidence to suggest that breakfast clubs are helpful in this respect.

Scottish Enterprise

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action Scottish Enterprise is taking to create stronger links with companies and institutions in order to internationalise their activities.

Iain Gray: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. Information on action being taken is contained in it’sUnder A Smart Successful Scotland one of the three main priorities for Scottish Enterprise is ensuring that Scotland is a globally connected nation. In September last year we published the joint Global Connections Strategy which lays out in more detail how the enterprise networks will deliver this priority.

  As an example of initiatives under this heading, Scottish Enterprise has recently set up the Globalscot Network, involving 250 influential Scots and Scottish champions around the world. [The First Minister will be attending its first formal event in Edinburgh next Monday]

  Other examples of Scottish Enterprise’s plans for the current financial year can be found in their operating plan, available on theiit’s websiter website at:

  www.scottish-enterprise.com/about/what/operating.

Young People

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff in each local authority area were employed in youth work in each of the last ten years.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of each local authority’s budget was allocated to youth work in each of the last ten years.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

Young People

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will develop a national youth strategy.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is committed to raising the profile of youth issues and increasing the involvement of young people in policy issues that affect them. We are working with YouthLink Scotland to map youth provision throughout the country. We will also be seeking views soon on priority areas for development of youth work in Scotland and will use this information to inform future policy on youth work.

Young People

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24726 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 May 2002, how many projects were included in the proposals from each local authority in respect of the Changing Children’s Services Fund and how many such projects relate (a) exclusively to statutory sector provision, (b) exclusively to voluntary sector provision and (c) to partnership projects.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24726 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 May 2002, what the total percentage share of funding is in each local authority proposal to the Changing Children’s Services Fund for (a) statutory, (b) voluntary and (c) partnership projects.

Cathy Jamieson: The overall aim of the Changing Children’s Services Fund is to encourage better integration of all resources available for Children’s Services across the statutory and voluntary sectors. Proposals are therefore expected to demonstrate evidence of genuine partnership working across these sectors.

Young People

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24726 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 May 2002, how each bid to the Changing Children’s Services Fund will be monitored for adherence to set criteria.

Cathy Jamieson: Monitoring reports on use of Changing Children’s Services Fund resources will form an integral part of annual updates on Children’s Services Plans.

Young People

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24726 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 May 2002, whether it is intended that projects within the Changing Children’s Services programme will be (a) linked to or (b) part of Children’s Services Plans.

Cathy Jamieson: Proposals funded through the Changing Children's Services Fund are intended to help local authorities and their partners reshape children's services to provide better integrated support and to meet the needs identified in Children's Services Plans.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Access to Information

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is bound by any code of practice on access to information and whether it voluntarily follows any policy similar to that set out in Part II of the  Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information where information which would not normally be published may be published in view of the public interest.

Sir David Steel: The SPCB is not at present bound by any code of practice on access to information but it will be subject, in the same way as any public authority, to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

Holyrood Project

The following answer replaces the answer previously published on 13 June 2002:

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to questions S1W-19252 and S1W-20308 on 16 November and 7 December 2001 respectively, on what date the technical information from Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Limited should have been provided; what the information was which was "considerably overdue"; to whom the concerns by EMBT/RMJM were expressed; whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the whole document or documents in which such concerns were expressed; in the event that any of this information is deemed to be commercially confidential, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will state on what basis and why and whose interest would be damaged by its disclosure, and whether the losses emanating from the insolvency of Flour City are deemed to fall within the category of force majeure on the risk register.

Sir David Steel: Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd were due to produce control samples for the oak windows in June 2001. I understand from the Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group that concerns arose during a routine project meeting between the Design Team and project personnel in May 2001 when it became clear that there might be a delay. However, assurances were given that recovery measures were in place. The Parliament’s position on the disclosure of commercially confidential material has not changed and is set out in my answer of 19 September 2000 to question S1W-9469. It remains the case that documents should not be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre while the SPCB’s rights and entitlements are still being evaluated, as they may form part of the productions in any litigation which may follow. Costs emanating from the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd fall within the category of force majeure on the risk register.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the statement in the Holyrood Progress Group Newsletter No.7 that "factory inspections have already taken place in Thailand", who from Bovis Lend Lease carried out these inspections; when they took place, and whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the inspection findings.

Sir David Steel: Bovis Lend Lease did not carry out inspections of Flour City’s window supplier’s manufacturing facility in Thailand. I understand from the Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group that representatives from RMJM's local offices in Bangkok undertook inspections, initially in February 2001, and later in June 2001. The Parliament has received legal advice that documents should not be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre while the SPCB’s right and entitlements are still being evaluated as they may form part of the productions in any litigation which may follow.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer on what date (a) Bovis Lend Lease, (b) EMBT/RMJM and (c) any member of the Holyrood Project Team expressed any doubts to the Holyrood Progress Group, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body or any other person about the financial viability of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd or its parent company and whether any documents regarding this matter will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sir David Steel: Certain concerns about Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd's finances were reported to the HPG at a meeting on 12 July 2001. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that representatives of Bovis Lend Lease, EMBT/RMJM and the Holyrood Project Team were all present at that meeting. These concerns and subsequent developments were reported to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) in August 2001. The Parliament has received legal advice that documents should not be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre while the SPCB’s rights and entitlements are still being evaluated, as they may form part of the productions in any litigation which may follow.

Parliamentary Visits

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer how many posters and postcards advertising the Parliament website were sent out to organisations such as churches, halls and recreation centres in the north-east prior to the Parliament’s visit to Aberdeen and what the total cost of this was.

Sir David Steel: Ten thousand posters and 20,000 postcards were printed to promote www.scottishparliamentlive.com which was hosting the live broadcast of the parliamentary sittings in Aberdeen, at a total cost of just over £2,000. This was done through our in house print contract with TSO. The majority of these posters and postcards were distributed directly by Broadcasting Office staff in Aberdeen, with the assistance of Aberdeen University, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen University, Northsound, Grampian TV, and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. In order primarily to reach other outlets, and in particular to get the materials to areas beyond Aberdeen city, some 150 organisations - churches, schools and tourist board offices in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire - were directly mailed limited quantities of the posters and postcards at a postage cost of £205.